Horsing Around

8"x10" Oil on Panel

with Palette Knife

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My youngest daughter has taken up horseback riding lessons. I decided to take the opportunity to use the hour lesson time to work on some quick-draw plein air painting of the other horses in the field.  

I totally underestimated the intelligence of the beautiful animals. As I set up next to the fence, all of the horses came over to watch me construct my french easel. But once I was ready to paint, all of the horses went far down the field to graze out of range from my painting efforts. “No matter.” I thought. “I'll just paint the field and when they come back around, I'll paint the horses in.” But when the time came to paint in the horses, their dinner bell rang and they all galloped out of the field to eat. Fortunately, they soon returned. But instead of grazing in my view, they went to the OTHER far side of the field to graze. I did my best to capture shapes and colors from far away. Once time was up and I packed everything up to leave, I looked up and they were all back in the middle to graze. Touché.

So today's post is the result of my efforts from that day.

Hopefully, next time they will be a little less shy. We shall see.

Psalm 30: You Have Turned My Mourning Into Dancing

6"x6" Oil on Panel

with Palette Knife

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I will extol you, O Lord, for you have drawn me up,
    and did not let my foes rejoice over me.
 O Lord my God, I cried to you for help,
    and you have healed me.
 O Lord, you brought up my soul from Sheol,
    restored me to life from among those gone down to the Pit.

 Sing praises to the Lord, O you his faithful ones,
    and give thanks to his holy name.
 For his anger is but for a moment;
    his favor is for a lifetime.
Weeping may linger for the night,
    but joy comes with the morning.

 As for me, I said in my prosperity,
    “I shall never be moved.”
 By your favor, O Lord,
    you had established me as a strong mountain;
you hid your face;
    I was dismayed.

 To you, O Lord, I cried,
    and to the Lord I made supplication:
 “What profit is there in my death,
    if I go down to the Pit?
Will the dust praise you?
    Will it tell of your faithfulness?
 Hear, O Lord, and be gracious to me!
    O Lord, be my helper!”

 You have turned my mourning into dancing;
    you have taken off my sackcloth
    and clothed me with joy,
 so that my soul may praise you and not be silent.
    O Lord my God, I will give thanks to you forever.